Page 3 of Roman and Jules
The blonde watched her expectantly, as Roman’s aunt ignored her and kissed her son on both his cheeks.
Roman was about to make this girl’s night worse. Maybe she’d thank him later, though he doubted it. No one liked the messenger, and Roman wasn’t about to stop now.
For years, Tyson had used women and discarded them easily, but he finally brought his weakness. Roman studied the blonde, even as she turned from him to greet Ty’s mother. She moved gracefully and had a quiet confidence. But dating Ty for a year? Why was she so special? It was the longest relationship Ty had ever been in, and he was doomed to ruin it. And that was a thought Roman was more comfortable with.
Ty was about to get what was coming to him.
Chapter 3
The banquet hall at the top of the Benvolio was awash in sparkling lights and sweeping balconies, and Jules felt like she was in the spire of a castle.
A woman wearing an elegant white dress with fur that floated like feathers around her collar swept towards them. Ty stiffened beside Jules. He whispered, “This is my mother…”
His voice sounded like a warning, and it was all he got out before she descended on them, taking her son’s hand and kissing him on both cheeks. “Darling!”
She ignored Jules for practically a full minute until Tyson loudly cleared his throat. “Mother, meet Jules. We’re dating.”
His mother put on the most splendidly fake smile Jules had ever seen. “Why Ty, she’s an absolute beauty.” Strange. The compliment sounded more like an insult the way she said it. “Where did you find her?”
Ty mumbled something about a party, and Jules stuck out her hand. “Nice to finally meet you.”
His mother’s nose wrinkled. “Oh, that accent.” Jules was taken aback. Most people found it cute, but his mother watched her like she was a mouse the cat dragged in from the barn. “Who areherparents?”
Jules cleared her throat and answered for him. “They teach school, ma’am.”
“School?” His mother mouthed it like she had something distasteful in her mouth and forced a smile that barely reached her strained eyes.
“They’re high school teachers,” Jules explained, trying to hide the sour expression breaching the surface.
The woman waved her hand flippantly as if trying to clear the air of a stench. “And what do you do?”
Jules was surprised that Ty hadn’t spoken about her at all. “I sing.”
To her horror, she noticed the woman repeating her again, like a parrot—a rather sneering one. “You sing? That can’t make much money… I mean, unless you’re one of the better-known acts around here.” She snorted out a laugh. “You’re not Celine Dion, are you? No, no, not with that Southern drawl.”
What was left of Jules’s excitement dropped like an anvil to the pit of her stomach. “I sing with PotPan. We’re just working the smaller venues in Vegas, Mrs. Bolt.”
“Call me Collette, dear.AllTy’s girlfriends do.”
His mother clearly didn’t like her. Ty looked like he was strangling on his collar. Had he known how this would be? And if so, what sort of future was he envisioning for them? Did he intend to defy his mother and still date her? Jules was fine with that but seeing the flare of rebellion in his eyes at his mother’s approach, she almost wondered if he was dating Jules to shock his mother. No other guy had ever done that. Jules had always been the wholesome girl-next-door.
“Mother,” Ty put his arm around Jules, and she took comfort from it. “You should come to one of Jules’s performances. She has a lovely voice.”
“Is it true you’ve been dating for…” Collette lowered her voice, “a year? You said nothing.”
“I don’t have to give you a running narrative of my life.” Ty straightened nervously. “We’re happy, okay?”
“Shh, not so loud.” His mother’s eyes shifted to the side and Jules caught sight of a hardened businessman wearing an expensive suit as black as his hair. His chiseled jaw looked painted in gristle. He talked to a younger couple in a low voice. Their backs were turned from them, but they were both impressively tall. The woman’s brunette hair was a long sheet against her back and was almost as shiny as the red silk charmeuse of her gown
“Monty’s over there…” Collette’s eyes bulged with annoyance, “with your cousin, Roman. Yes!” she hissed, “Roman.” Jules kept back her gasp, though she did stand on her toes to see better, only catching the back of his head now. He nodded while he talked to the older businessman that she guessed was his father. She really didn’t see what the fuss was about. Unfortunately, she couldn’t really get a good look at him. He was wandering away, while the lady with the red gown stayed behind.
Ty’s mother was beside herself. “I’ve got eyes, Ty. I know what’s going on between you and Roman,” she whispered in a voice that was too loud. It was a little insulting that Collette thought so little of Jules that she didn’t bother to watch her words. “And he’s brought some little minx with him. I don’t trust what he’s going to do.”
Ty snorted.
“Don’t you start with me,” she said. “I need you to do what you have to do tonight. Your great-aunt Priscilla hates it when you fight with him.”
Ty made a face. “Then he’d better stay out of my way.”
